Wednesday, December 29, 2021

What we are learning at the heart of the crisis

“Why stay here until we die ?” 2 Kings 7. 3

The Syrian armies besieged Samaria where the inhabitants were starving. Four lepers who, due to their illness, had to live outside the city walls, usually survived on the meager remains that the city residents threw at them from the city walls every day. Now with the famine raging in the city, nothing was thrown at them anymore. They said to each other : “Why stay here until we die ?” So they decided to do something : “So they left at dusk to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they arrived at the entrance to the camp, there was no one there. For the Lord had made there heard a noise of chariots and of horses, the noise of a great army, and they had said to one another, The king of Israel has enlisted kings against us. of the Hittites and those of the Egyptians to come and attack us. They had risen and fled in the twilight, abandoning their tents, their horses and their donkeys ; the camp had remained as it was. They fled to save their lives. When they reached the entrance to the camps, the lepers entered a tent, ate and drank. They also took away silver, gold, and clothes, which they went to hide. They came back, went into another tent and took some things from it, which they went to hide. Then they said to each other : We are not doing well. Today is a day of good news. If we keep silent and wait until the morning light, we will be punished. Come now, let's go and report to the royal palace” (2 Kings 7.5-9). This story teaches us three important truths :

1- the crisis becomes our ally when it prompts us to act, to get us out of the woods. It’s only when we’re really tired of feeling down and depressed that things start to get better !

2- God begins to act for our good when He sees us take the first step of faith. The only things that risk limiting the display of His power are our doubts, stubbornness, or complacency. His word affirms : “However, the Lord waits only for the time to be gracious to you” (Isaiah 30:18).

3- When God wants to bless us richly, we have no right to keep His blessings to ourselves. Other people need what God has given us and we must share it with them. Let us act like Abraham who obtained favor from God and who became a source of blessings to so many others.

Source (His Word for Today)